Document: Petition of Jan Jansen Bestevaer for satisfaction of a claim against Edmund Scharburgh

To the honorable esteemed lords director general and councilors of New Netherland.

Jan Jansz Bestevaer remonstrates with all due reverence how it is that he in [several lines lost] 1655 [ ] as appears [ ] namely, that the [ ] in the ship the Beer [ ] departure from the same to [ ] shipping seven thousand [ ] at his own expense, promising to post sufficient [ security ] for the satisfaction of the [ ] contract, as appears in more detail in the same. In the meanwhile, not being able to acquire anyone as security, he left for special security or in [ ] at the house of Nicolaes Booth one thousand staves of lead and 231 yards [gaerden] of French serge on behalf of the aforesaid Abraham Ja[ ]. If he should come up short delivering the tobacco according to the contract, as appears in more detail attached hereto in his own hand, and remains deficient paying for the tobacco according to the contract, the petitioner requests that your honors be pleased to authorize him to ship the aforesaid lead to Virginia and to take possession of the serge to lower the debt. (lower stood) Your esteemed honors’ servant (was signed) Jan Jansz Bestevaer.

Rights: This translation is provided for education and research purposes, courtesy of the  New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, Mutual Cultural Heritage Project. Rights may be reserved. Responsibility for securing permissions to distribute, publish, reproduce or other use rest with the user. For additional information see our Copyright and Use Statement Source: New York State Archives. New Netherland. Council. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809. Volume 8.